Internal-combustion radiator unit



Oct; 21928.

1,685,870 F. w; SHUELL ET AL INTERNAL CONIQUSTION RADIATOR UNIT FiledApril i1, 1927 A *w23 v QQ/ m /-2 z m n fw n: zu Z6 m Zz a 2l q n. /4/ 55 E La w1 #/f m Z8' V L 4 A. jg/ 3 aww/1413010 Af nf. si; z 'ff edi/5de @51a aucun/1,0

Patented Oct. 2, 1928.

I UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

FRANK W. SHUELL AND ELMER E. LEDBETTER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOBS TO THE EVER HOT HEATER COMPANY, OF DETROIT; MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

INTEBNAL-COMBUSTION RADIATOR UNIT.

Application lcd April 11, 1927. Serial No. 182,845.

The invention relates to heating systems of the type disclosed by Patent No. 1,594,074

issued to Frank Shuell and Elmer E. Ledbetter July 27, 1926, in which a. series of in- 6 ternal combustion radiator units are arranged in the rooms of the dwelling and are thermostatically operated to maintain the desired temperature. In such systems the various radiator units are supplied', with'iuid fuel, preferably gas, and the products of combustion are forcibly withdrawn from` the combustion chamber by a suction fan or equivalent means.

Theobject of the present invention is to l5 obtain an improvement in the construction of the radiator units whereby a more efficient apparatus is secured and the cost of manufactureis considerably reduced. To this end we have provided. the novel construction i hereinafterdescribed and illustrated in the drawings, wherein y Y i Figure 1 represents a portion of the heati ing system with `one of the radiator units shown in side elevation;

Figure 2 is a transverse section through the radiator unit on the line 2-2 `of Figure 8; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the radiator unit on line 3-3 of Figure 2 showing one of the cast sections from which the unit is constructed; Y

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3. Y

Referring now more specifically to the particular constructionof the appara-tus as illustrated in the drawings, 10 indicates the radiator unit generally,l1 thefuel supply line, 12 the exhaust conduit and 13 the fan or blower for creating a suction inthe exhaust conduit. The unit 10 comprises an outer casing 14 suitably supported by legs 15 and adapted to rest upon the floor. The casing is open. attboth` the lower and the upper ends to permit the air in the room to circulate within the same and Contact with the combustion chamber unit 16, which is arranged within the casing.. As shown, the casing 10 is closed at the top and has the opening 17 `for the heated air arranged in the vupper part of therfront wall so that the heated air esca es laterally into the room.

The combustlonchamber 16is of novel construction and is built upof two similar castings 18 and 19, `each of which has a side wall 20 from which project the top marginal flanges 21. Each casting is `provided with a serles of horizontally extending battles 22 formed integral with the side walls 20 and of the same width as the marginal flanges 21. The alternate baiiles terminate short ofthe side marginal anges 21, forming in effect the return-bent passageways y23. The Vmain wall 20 of eac-h casting is also provided with a series ofvertically extending flanges or fins 24 projecting from the wall on the opposite side of the marginal Hanges and bales. The

'two similarly constructed castings are assembled together with the respective marginal flanges and the baiiies abuttingr and are suitably secured together by bolts 25. Pref erably the bolts extend at the lfour corners of the castings and pass through the aperturedears 2.6 provided therefor. For further securing the parts together intermediate bolts may be provided, and as shown, each castingr has a centrally drilled aperture 27 extending` through one of the intermediate baies and has a boss 28 on the wall 20 in alignment therewith. When thus assembled the two castings form a. continuous passage way 29 extending from the top to the bottom of the combustion `chamber and forming a ilue for the combustion gases.

The combustible charge is preferably introduced into the upper passageway of the combusti on chamber and for this purpose the casing has an aperture 30 in the end wall through which is inserted a l:ras burner 31. or other suitable fuel-supplying meansv The gas burner is preferably of the modified Bunsen burner type so constructed as to be ca pable of operatingr under varyingconditions of gas pressure from a tiny pilot light to a strong Haine. The desired quantity of air is introduced into the combustion chamber through theaperture 32. which may either be'calibrated to obtain the desired proportion Vor, provided with suitable regulating means.

The exhaust conduit 12 connects into the combustion chamber in the lower horizontal passageway thereof and by reason of the suc oi' the combustion chamber and the vert-ical fins 24 to the air circulating Within the outer casing l0.V Itis preferable togprovide means for introducing"j auxiliary air into tlieiexhaustE products prior to their Withdrawal through the exhaust conduit 12in order to vprevent' @enigmatica within the, extensa pipe be@ caii's'lelo" lthe lowered temperature oi" the products. This auxiliaryzair introduced in the present insta-nce through port- 33 111 the lower passageway of v-the` combustion chamber, the amountbeing determined either by ther calibrationof the port orby regilatl' The operatih' of: the system' is Asiinilar tov that; described ihthe'prior patent? above reerred/to and by properly prop'ortionmgathe amount of and a'ir initially introduced into" the eomlusti'on chamber and` the amount inl' trodfuced thronghxthe poitsl 33,|` hea-ting: api

paratu's may be obtainedhavingA avery" high heating eitliciency ;t'hat' is, tlie'coinbustion may be rendered? very complete and' tlie'temperz-- Y. tu-ifeoffthe enhaustproducts'kept very loivf.-

Furthermorc, by the proper rcgul'atibn ot the amount of afir iI-it-roduced;y condensatioiifivitlr' inA the unit and within the exhaust conduit maybe entirely avoided Witllout impa-iriligf the-eiliciency ofoperation.

For rendering the system-automatic in'operatfionitfsuitfa'ble thermostat 35 isfari'angd'in the gas supply conduit l1 and shielded troni' the direct radiatien fr'oni the unit by a proper'aturc within the upper 'p'orti-onto' the'com bustion'chamber 16, bailles 37 are arranged at' the sides off the combiistion'ch amber inspacedf relation thereto, thus shielding-l the casing' from direct radiatiom Y v Y It will be noted in Figure"- 3that the intermediate battles 22am vertically spaced fromV each other by' varying distancestwhich p'roL grfessively decrease'i'n amount from the' upper portionof` theY combustion chamber toV the lower portion thereof; The'object of tliis'ar-- rangement] is toA provide sulficient" cross' sec# tional area in th'ehorizontal passagevvays to adequately care'tor the products of c'mbu'sl tion in the varyingr degrees of expansion and' at the same' time topr'ovi'de fr the'maximumA distance of travel-While the prdtictsare con- L lined Within :the combustion chamber' unit."

Thus the upper baille' 22 is 'spaced sniiiciently from the topj of the combustinl chamber to provide the desired cross sectional area for the initial combustion As'the heat is abstracted i from the combustion productsfthegases are contracted. involume and lessv area is'reuuired tofmaintaina constant rat-e of iibav and the' battles are therefore ar'rantgredl closer together in theloWerport-ions ofthe-,unitv 'Phfecloser'x spacingoffthewbailesr permits a greater num' bei'. tobe'inserted-in a combustion chamber of Forprotecting the upper portionyofthe eas ing 14 from overheating due to'the lili-ghr teingiven dimensions and therefore the effective length of the flue passageway is materially increased5 result-ingfin a more etlicientr abstractionot the'heat from the combustion products.

chain-ber" is preferablylderiyed; from Within the outer casingvllil andv inthe `p'ielerr.edi con- Structionyboth the'rnain inlet aperture 32 and the auxiliary air port 33 are connected to a vertical'conduit 38'. This conduit is preferably constructed so that it may be entirely closed? on" heinconmnineatiow withal@ eat.-

side air by means ci an autom ical-1y @peil able i mechanism described! anche comming .The air introduced into4 the combustion ber isE redueeft'belowIv a pretete/'rinined'v valueV throughrfailureof the fan or sol'ii othefrd'- bustion radiate type 1 c'oihpI'ifsiig"V al closed' combustion chamber having gas and aia' i'lfet's in the upper" prt'ion thereof-arid" an exhaust 115 2. nea-fag apparatusehaimefnai oar-f ing having a series of vertically spaced horizontally extending bafles forming a series of horizontal passageways, said passageways beingconnected together at the opposite ends to form a single flue conduit extending from the top to the bottom of said casing, aV gas Vburner arranged in the uppermost passageway, an air inlet in said upper passageway, an exhaust conduit connected to the lower passageway, means for producing suction in said exhaust conduit, an outer shell surrounding said casting open at the bottom and the top to permit circulation of air therethrough in contact with said casing, and a series of vertically extending fins on the outer surface of said casing. p

4. A heating apparatus comprising an outer shell, a combustion chamber within said shell having therein a series of horizontally extending chambers, the ends of which are alternately connected together forming a single continuous passageway, means for introducing air and fuel into the upper chamber, means for creating a su'ction in the lower chamber to draw the gaseous products through said passageway from the top to the bottom thereof, and a series of vertical fins projecting from said combustion chamber into the space enclosed by said outer shell.

5. A combustion chamber unit for an internal combustion heating apparatus comprising a pair of complementary castings, each having a side wall and transversely extending marginal flanges and having a series of siibstantiallyparallel intermediate fianges, one end of each intermediate flange terminating at a point spaced from the marginal flanges, and means for securing said complementary castings together with correspond-` ing flanges abutting.

6. A combustion chamber unit for an intei-nal combustion heating apparatus comprising a pair of complementary castings, each having a side wall and transversely extending marginal flanges, each casting also having a series of substantially parallel intermediate flanges integral with the casting and of the same height as said marginal flanges, each side wall having integrally formed therewith on the opposite side from intermediate flanges, a series oftransversely extending fins, and means for securing said complementary castings together with the correspondin g intermediate flanges abutting.

7. A heating apparatus comprising an outer shell, a combustion chamber within said shell having therein a series .of horizontally extending chambers', the ends of which are alternately connected together` forming a single continuous flue passageway, said horizontally extending chambers being of progressively diminishing cross sectional area from the upper to the lower portions of the combustion chamber, means for introdiicking air and fuel into the upper chamber, and

means for forcibly drawing the gaseous products of combustion through said continuous passageway.

8. In a heating apparatus of the internal combustion radiator type, a closed combustion chamber provided with a series of substantially parallel baffles therein forming passageways alternately connected together at opposite ends, the bafes at the outlet end of said combustion chamber being spaced closer than the baffles at the inlet end thereof, thereby increasing the distance of travel of the products of combustion.

9. In a heating apparatus of the internal combustion radiator type, an outer casing having openings therein for the upward circulation of air, a closed combustion chamber within said outer casing having radiating projections on the outer surfaces thereof, means for introducing fuel and air into the upper portion of said 'combustion chamber, means for forcibly withdrawing the products of combustion from the lower portion of said chamber, and a series of substantially horizontal baflies within said combustion ch amber forming a series of parallel flue passageways connected in series. said baffles being spaced apart at progressively smaller distances from the upper to the lower portion of the combustion chamber. thereby increasing the length of travel of the combustion products.

l0. In a heating apparatus of the internal combustion radiator type, an outer casing having openings therein .for the upward circulation of air, a closed combustion chamber within said outer casing having radiating projections on the outer surfaces thereof, means for introducing fuel and air into the upperportion of said combustion chamber` means for forcibly drawing the products of combustion through said chamber. and a series of substantially horizontal baflies within said combustion chamber forming a circiiitous passageway for the products of combustion. said bales in theupper portion of the combustion chamber being spaced apart sufficiently to provide for the expanded products of combustion and the lower baffles being spaced progressively closer together toward the lower portion of the combustion chamber to increase the distance of travel of the combustion products.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

FRANK W. SHUELL. ELMER E. LEDBETTER. 

